In light of the imminent impact of tropical storm Rafael, which is expected to intensify into a hurricane in the coming hours, Cuba's Civil Defense (DC) warned on Tuesday about the necessity of utilizing alternative means of communication to inform the population, which has been affected by frequent power outages, in order to avoid repeating the poor crisis management experienced in Guantánamo after the passage of Hurricane Oscar.
In its statement, the DC emphasized the importance of using alternative means of communication where necessary to ensure that information reaches the population, considering that some members of it might be affected by power outages.
On the other hand, it was emphasized that, alongside the precipitation forecasts and the status of reservoir levels, the measures taken by the working bodies of the National Defense Council (CDN) to protect the population and safeguard economic resources were reviewed.
According to the statement, the DC emphasized the need to carry out all planned actions for the Cyclonic Alert phase on Tuesday, as tomorrow, Wednesday, with the declaration of the Cyclonic Alarm phase, the country will be affected by the event, and it will be essential to remain completely immobile.
This recommendation aims to prevent what occurred in Baracoa, where many people were left at the mercy of Hurricane Oscar and suffered significant material damage due to a lack of preparation and effective response.
The General Staff of the DC decided to implement the alert phase this Monday for the provinces of Matanzas, Mayabeque, Havana, Artemisa, Pinar del Río, and the special municipality of Isla de la Juventud, due to the possibility of being directly affected by Rafael.
Cuban leader Miguel Díaz-Canel asserted on Tuesday that the country is "prepared and organized" to confront this new danger, a statement that contrasts sharply with the harsh reality of governmental management during the recent crisis.
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